Magpies must improve their cup results this season

The last decent domestic run enjoyed by the toon army was in 2004 -05 season under the then manager Graeme Souness. That year united reached the semifinal only to lose 4-1 to the runners up Manchester United. Since then it has been a dismal run of results in the cups for the team.

In the last few years the results have become even more unbearable; in fact we have compiled the list of results for the last four years that have led to the magpies exit.

Year

FA Cup (score)

Carling cup (Score)

2008 -09

Hull city 1-0 (Replay)

Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1

2009 -10

West Bromwich Albion 4-2

Peterborough United 2-0

2010 -2011

Stevenage Borough 3-1

Arsenal 4-0

2011-12

Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0

Blackburn Rovers 4-3 (AET)*

* AET – After Extra Time

You can see from the list that none of the matches were really that hard, even the matches against the north London clubs were at St. James’s park where every team knows you will always get a game. It has been too long to be considered just random.

Reasons for such poor results could be either purely down to luck or the mindset of the players. One understands players representing so called smaller clubs would be up for the games but you expect players representing Newcastle to weather the storm and come out on top.

A cup is really cherished by many supporters and quite frankly represents the best chance for NUFC to win anything of note since 1969. This season, Newcastle are expected to participate in three different cups i.e. The FA cup, the Capital one cup and the Europa league (different format to a knock out).

I sincerely hope united set their priorities right and do give all or a combination of cups a good go, of course not compromising on the league. Hopefully teams are picked accordingly and are capable of beating what is put in front of them. Just don’t thrust youngsters in the name of giving them experience. Maybe Mike Ashley should demand that of Alan Pardew and the staff.

What I’m also hoping for is a favorable draw, so that we can take advantage and make it through all the way. Nothing wrong in that, is there? Fingers crossed.